Beginning steps - Moving Municipal governments towards freedom

[Truth Tweets]

First I live in Calgary, AB, Canada. In the last 5 years, we have moved from relatively free to as close to communist as we can get.  The debt that our province has added in the last 2.5 years is at the fastest rate ever in Canadian history.

I might be delusional but I have decided to take the plunge and run for city council - Cities do not have the gangster like issue of political parties.  

I would appreciate thoughts on what issues would be the GATEWAY concepts to FREEDOM...

Please understand that anarco capitalist ideas will not win an election...

Please share your 'Gateway Drugs to Freedom'.  I want to promote freedom, increase accountablity, and help people wake up to the fact that big government reduces all we are and can be.

What were your red pill concepts.  

Thanks

Mark

[RichardY]

14 hours ago, Truth Tweets said:

I might be delusional but I have decided to take the plunge and run for city council - Cities do not have the gangster like issue of political parties.  

Not sure I would agree. I have done a bit of backpacking in Alberta, although not a city council one of the towns I was in Grande Cache had it's share of corruption, zoning was done poorly(probably the ugliest town I have seen, in a pristine area) so the land with the best vistas had the industrial area built on it, the zoning was done by someone related to someone on the council. Town was also bankrupt(for example, $60,000 on a motivational speaker to do a talk) despite having a rich coal deposit that was exported to Japan for steel manufacture. Heard of similar things in other countries, even open corruption.

When I was in Calgary I noticed a lot of property development, maybe might be a good idea to think about aligning interests somehow. It might help if you have a spouse that is charismatic, photo opportunities.

Freedom and Accountability. Not sure, plenty of legal corruption that is possible on the accountability end. Stefan did a book The handbook for human or livestock management something like that. Maybe try to decentralise power, a lot of the smaller towns were decimated in population when logging quotas were brought in.

[JoinOrDie]

If you are accepting American opinions, I have one.

Do it.

I ran for township supervisor last fall following a request from someone already on the board. Ours is a small rural Michigan Township but not without issues. Budget was mostly good but factions of personnel and elected officials were at war. The tax assessor had created a mess out of her office with incompetence and procrastination. The people were upset about some shady dealings with tax monies and the general verbal garbage poured out at every board meeting. The election itself took care of some of the personalities and the new board took care of the rest. For the time being we are running a very small government focused on service to the public and transparency in all of our work.

The gears of government turn more quickly in a smaller government and I would think your situation in Calgary would be much more challenging due to many factors. Change has to start somewhere, let it start with you.

To answer your request for ways to reintroduce freedom to a jaded population, I have a few.

I don't consider these "Red Pill" concepts, just sound principles for living. It seems they have been lost in our respective governments.

1) Remind everyone that the government works for the people, not vice-versa.

2) Remind people that the government does not have a dollar that it did not take from productive citizens, and that productive citizens are the engine of success not their government.

3) Be honest and genuine in your dealings with everyone. Treat everyone with respect and dignity, especially if they are assbags. In today's world people are usually treated like trash. People remember those that treat them with respect.

4) Voluntarily provide the public complete transparency for yourself and demand it of all other councilmembers.

5) Make it a point to be fiscally conservative and scrutinize every dollar spent. Not to be cheap, but to get what you pay for. The most value for the dollar.

6) Volunteer your TIME, not money, to help people in need. It helps you get to know the needs of your various communities.

7) Lead people to ideas rather than force ideas on them. A concept is more valuable if an individual brings themselves there rather than someone else beating them over the head with it.

8) Remember a government position is a service position. If you are looking for personal gain, stay home.

9) Remember that government is a thankless job. Nobody will be there to help you out or recognize your sacrifices, but lots of people will insult you and complain about every move you make. Don't take it personal and don't get emotional, it's part of the territory. The people who are pleased with your work will never tell you and the complainers will never stop.  Just make sure that the complainers remain the smaller group.

I hope this helps, Best of luck, Canada needs many more like you.

JN

[Truth Tweets]

Thank you so much.  I like your post... especially point 8.  When I was young that was part of how my father explained the difference between the free market and a government job.  

Unfortunately today the government workers get the best pay packages on average.... that is just wrong for the whole system.  Have personally done 6 for years (it has included some of my own money as well)

 

[JoinOrDie]

I really hope you can be a catalyst for some major change. I live about 45 minutes from Sarnia, ON. I like to watch news from Canada because I have spent some time there and it is close enough to go on a whim if I'm feeling like international travel. One thing I don't understand is how in the hell Trudeau got to be Prime Minister. He has NO qualifications. He is trying to erase traditional Canadian culture and boasts "The first post national country in the world". He may not recognize his history and culture but the people swarming to his country sure are going to recognize theirs, and impose it on everyone else.      I'd better quit there, palms are getting sweaty.

Sadly, governments have grown so onerous and imposing that it can seem near impossible to effect change. That doesn't mean we don't try.

It sounds like you are in the running for all the right reasons, I'm going to try to keep an eye on the election.

As a side note, where I live, government jobs (civil servants, not officials. My supervisor office pays a whopping $300/month.) are the best paying around if you aren't a farmer or a doctor. My grandpa used to tell me that when he was a young man government jobs were what you did when nobody else would hire you. Now people aspire to be a mid level pencil pusher. A soulless job for stolen pay.

 

 

[Truth Tweets]

I must say this is likely my Rubicon.  I have looked at all the other candidates.  I posted my Linkedin profile for all to see.  No one else running has ever put their own money at risk.

If the corrupt bought off incumbent gets in again I am likely entering full anarcho mode.

 

 

[Truth Tweets]

On 2017-09-15 at 1:06 PM, RichardY said:

Not sure I would agree. I have done a bit of backpacking in Alberta, although not a city council one of the towns I was in Grande Cache had it's share of corruption, zoning was done poorly(probably the ugliest town I have seen, in a pristine area) so the land with the best vistas had the industrial area built on it, the zoning was done by someone related to someone on the council. Town was also bankrupt(for example, $60,000 on a motivational speaker to do a talk) despite having a rich coal deposit that was exported to Japan for steel manufacture. Heard of similar things in other countries, even open corruption.

When I was in Calgary I noticed a lot of property development, maybe might be a good idea to think about aligning interests somehow. It might help if you have a spouse that is charismatic, photo opportunities.

Freedom and Accountability. Not sure, plenty of legal corruption that is possible on the accountability end. Stefan did a book The handbook for human or livestock management something like that. Maybe try to decentralise power, a lot of the smaller towns were decimated in population when logging quotas were brought in.

Sigh ... was just watching a video where they talked about how the elite view us all as livestock... grrr